This is a City of Toronto activity supported by the band and a 100 man guard from the Regiment. Guard will be in place by 10:45 AM, so I would suggest everyone who will be in attendance, be over at the park by 10:30 AM. Dress will be full dress with CF medals only, and poppy.

Join members of the Canadian Armed Forces and the Commonwealth Consular Corps for a special re-dedication ceremony of Coronation Park.
The unique commemorative function of Coronation Park, tied to the First World War, is being restored. A moment of silence will be observed.
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Coronation Park on the waterfront is a living war memorial that was opened to commemorate King George VI’s coronation on May 12, 1937.
The trees in the park commemorate the service and sacrifice of Canada’s military forces, principally those from the Great War (also known as the First World War) and embody the spirit of idealism that emerged following the horrors of the war.
144 trees were planted to commemorate Canada’s military in honour of the King’s coronation. This was the largest tree planting of its kind in Canada at the time. Each tree was ceremonially placed by veterans of the Canadian Expeditionary Force.
On August 1, 1938, veterans returned to simultaneously unveil plaques, with one tree to commemorate each unit that fought.
During the 1939 royal visit, war veterans and the Men of the Trees and Toronto students planted 123 sugar maples along Remembrance Drive as the royal vehicle passed by.
The park is an important commemorative space and is possibly the largest First World War memorial in Toronto. It is now being restored to its original design as a permanent memorial to Canada and Toronto’s war effort. The first stage of this redesign will be completed by November 10, 2018.

TTC Information: Take the 511 Bathurst or 509 Harbourfront Streetcar to the Exhibition Loop (Princes’ Gates). Walk out to Strachan then south across Lake Shore Blvd. and into the Park. Alternately take the 29D Dufferin Bus to Exhibition Loop.

This is a City of Toronto activity supported by the band and a 100 man guard from the Regiment. Guard will be in place by 10:45 AM, so I would suggest everyone who will be in attendance, be over at the park by 10:30 AM. Dress will be full dress with CF medals only, and poppy.

Join members of the Canadian Armed Forces and the Commonwealth Consular Corps for a special re-dedication ceremony of Coronation Park.

The unique commemorative function of Coronation Park, tied to the First World War, is being restored. A moment of silence will be observed.

_______________

Coronation Park on the waterfront is a living war memorial that was opened to commemorate King George VI’s coronation on May 12, 1937.

The trees in the park commemorate the service and sacrifice of Canada’s military forces, principally those from the Great War (also known as the First World War) and embody the spirit of idealism that emerged following the horrors of the war.

144 trees were planted to commemorate Canada’s military in honour of the King’s coronation. This was the largest tree planting of its kind in Canada at the time. Each tree was ceremonially placed by veterans of the Canadian Expeditionary Force.

On August 1, 1938, veterans returned to simultaneously unveil plaques, with one tree to commemorate each unit that fought.

During the 1939 royal visit, war veterans and the Men of the Trees and Toronto students planted 123 sugar maples along Remembrance Drive as the royal vehicle passed by.

The park is an important commemorative space and is possibly the largest First World War memorial in Toronto. It is now being restored to its original design as a permanent memorial to Canada and Toronto’s war effort. The first stage of this redesign will be completed by November 10, 2018.

TTC Information: Take the 511 Bathurst or 509 Harbourfront Streetcar to the Exhibition Loop (Princes’ Gates). Walk out to Strachan then south across Lake Shore Blvd. and into the Park. Alternately take the 29D Dufferin Bus to Exhibition Loop.

For those who are driving to the event, Green P parking locations.

250 Fort York Blvd. (Fort York Visitor Centre, 49 spots)

250 Fort York Blvd. (seven on-street spots)

800 Fleet Street (132 spots)

545 Lake Shore Blvd. West (110 spots)

Note that Green P parking is CLOSED on Remembrance Drive for the event.

Parking is also available underground at the Enercare Centre

Armistice Dinner

The ‘Gala” dinner will commence at 1800 hours with the commemorative plaque unveiling at 1845 hours. Dinner commences at 1900 hours with a guest speaker following.

Church Parade – November 11 @ 10 45

Remembrance Day Parade at St. James Cathedral. Service starts at 1045 hours, with the march past following the service. It will be crowed, the Governors Generals Horse guards will be parading with us. Arrive early to get a seat in the church, or ensure you are on-site by 12:30 to form up for the parade.

Support the Troops – November 25

More details as to timings will be released closer to the date. It looks like they are exercising in Petawawa.

Association Meeting – November 29

The next Association meeting has moved forward to November 29th. The dress for this meeting will be business casual. Since this is our last meeting of the year it will also be a pot luck and as in past years we will be having an ugly Christmas sweater contest.

All Ranks Dinner – December 6

The Association will be taking part in the Regimental all ranks dinner. As previous years the cost for the dinner is $25.00. If you plan to attend please bring your payment to the next Association meeting.

Happy Birthday to all members of The Royal Regiment of Canada – past and
present!!
And best wishes to all Regimental family and friends on this very special
day!
Celebrating 155 years of service to community and country : 1862-2017
Ready Aye Ready
Tom Payne Vishnu Persaud
Lieutenant-Colonel Chief Warrant Officer
Commanding Officer Regimental Sergeant-Major

We should all feel proud to have served and continue to serve in many ways.

Former Royal Regiment of Canada Cadet Corp member in the late 50’s Robert Prichard sent this to us:

I was a soldier once

I liked the idea that as the commercial said; we did more by 0700 than most people did all day. I loved as range safety officer getting shots down range by 0800. I loved the brutality of route marches because they set us apart from my civilian friends, as most of them could never have hacked the pace. I liked standing in a United Nations observation post just before dawn in a far away land, realizing that I and other soldiers in my unit were doing something very special by representing Canada and the Canadian people, undergoing physical and mental strains that many could not or would not face to keep our country safe and ready. I loved climbing up cargo nets in full battle order and repelling down cliffs. I loved running the assault course. I liked the early morning runs and the late night polishing before a parade.
I liked the smell of the quartermaster stores, an odd mixture of gun oil, canvas preservative, leather, hemp rope and cigarette smoke. I liked the racks of rifles and sub machine guns and I loved the gun sheds and tank hangers where the vehicles and weapons of war gleamed dully and exuded strength and capability and the power to “git ‘er done” if need be. I loved the name of the equipment when I started off, Sherman, Fabrique Nationale, Sten and Bren because they spoke to me of the proud days when our Fathers used them successfully in WW2. Our #36 Grenade was the same as our grandfathers used in WW1 for God’s sake! I also loved when the 105 mm and the M 109 gave way to the M 777 and the guns could shoot accurately over 30 kilometres. I loved it when the old lady “the duce and a half” was finally replaced by the modern MLVW. The Centurion tank gave way to the Leopard and within weeks our tankers showed NATO they were the best.
I liked our soldiers, from all parts of the land, from cities of upper Canada, small towns of Nova Scotia and Newfoundland. They came from the mountains and from the prairies from all walks of life. I trusted and depended on them as they trusted and depended on me for professional competence, for comradeship, for strength and courage. In a word we were “soldiers”, then, and forever. I liked the surge in my heart when word was passed that a unit was deploying, and I loved the infectious thrill of riding homeward in convoy waving at the cars we passed and at pedestrians who I was sure looked at us with envy as we rolled through their villages on our way back to Base. I loved waving from the back of a truck at the kids in cars that would trail us for a while before finally passing.
The work was hard and dangerous; the going rough at times; and the parting from family painful, but the companionship of robust army laughter, the “all for one and one for all” philosophy of the military was ever present. I once enjoyed the best 2 hours sleep in my life laying on the ground at a rest halt while doing a patrol. The weather was overcast but warm and a slight drizzle did not deter my snoring, which could be heard 4 men down the line. Another 4 or 5 hours would have been nice, but there was work to be done.
I liked the fierce and dangerous activity of the Infantry Rifle Coy as we began an advance to contact. I liked doing the recce for a harbour where I had to hide up to 40 pieces of wheeled and tracked equipment from the enemy. I hated having to run ahead of our vehicles in complete darkness and trying to be quiet as the drivers and co-drivers tried to back vehicles and trailers into a black hole as quickly as possible so others in line could pass and find me and also be properly positioned and put away. One could hear cursing and unmeant bitching as crews stumbled in the dark to erect cam nets and digging in for protection from an enemy attack, we cut and poked branches holding up the nets to break the vehicle outline so as not to be recognised. The lucky ones had a relatively small vehicle, others, a two and a half or a 5 ton to cover that even in day light would take an hour or more. At night it was dangerous, demanding and extremely hard work. In the rain or freezing snow this necessary chore was brutal.
Watching my fellow soldiers as they took down the cam nets, loaded fuel, ammunition and rations for yet another long day, feeling truly exhausted and knowing it was going to get a lot worse before it got better, actually added value to the experience. We were soldiers and this is what it was like.
I loved the name and the history of my Regiments;
“The Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment) of Canada”
“The Royal Canadian Regiment”
“The Royal Canadian Electrical Mechanical Engineers”
“The Royal Canadian Engineers”.
“The Queen’s Own Rifles”.
“The ‘Royals’- The Royal Regiment of Canada”.

I loved the parades, the colours on parade and the guidon presentation, the march past, the roll past, the advance in review order and the sound of my hand slapping the stock of my rifle during the Present Arms. I could feel the National Anthem inside me while the band played it. Some liked “The Queen” or “O Canada”. I loved “The Maple Leaf Forever”.
I loved walking through our position in complete darkness checking the welfare of my men and NCO’s and ensuring them that they were not alone, as we stood in our trench at first light, on stand to. I liked the weight of my steel helmet on my head and the embrace of my webbing. It made you feel like superman though in your heart you surely knew you were not. I loved the weight of my rifle or pistol and knowing I could outshoot a lot of my men. It was an ongoing competition during range practice to out do your friends as well as your superiors. There was pride in self and country; and growing mastery of the soldier’s trade. An adolescent could find adulthood. A man could find fulfilment and an old man finds great joy. I will never forget that I was once a soldier. There is no higher calling. I would do it again in a heart beat. I liked the traditions of the Army and those who made them.